Without Looking Back
by Hana J
Summary: Sasuke wakes up in a different time, missing his eye, with no way back. Yondaime x Sasuke.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Summary: Sasuke wakes up in a different time, missing his eye, with no way back.

Notes: This story can be found at my livejournal (where it is updated at first) at www . livejournal . com / users / compagnie (without the spaces). Or just check my profile. Thanks for your time!

_Without Looking Back_

By: Hana J.

Sasuke woke up bound to a hard hospital bed. There was no feeling in his left eye; around it throbbed, tender with pain and the skin felt swollen. He kept his right eye shut and his breathing even. Noise: muffled footsteps, shifting fabric, and quiet voices.

"His heartbeat changed." Sasuke didn't recognize the voice as Kabuto's, but it could have been any medic-nin collecting the warrant on his arrest.

"Is he awake?" asked another, deeper male voice. A shadow dropped over his form, Sasuke felt it like a cold blanket being draped over him. His shirt had been removed, along with his belt, sword, and other weapons. His pants were still on, though they stuck to his right calf from dried blood.

"No, vital signs remain normal. The drug shouldn't wear off yet."

"Have you found anything?" The footsteps faded away and the shadow disappeared.

"It's amazing, so much different from what we predicted! The nerves that—"

"Have you found anything?"

The answer, more reluctant than the first, made Sasuke test the bindings that were tightened over his wrist, chest, and ankles. "Nothing that can be duplicated on a body that isn't blessed with the Uchiha's unique chakra. Unlike other ninja, or even other bloodlines, the Uchiha's chakra stream is directed toward the eyes. It's not something that can be recreated without drastic surgery and even then—"

"We have willing shinobi," the other man interrupted. "The Uchiha Clan is one of the main factions keeping us from winning this war. The police department has been turned into a fortress of men, becoming Konoha's walls. We cannot even get in during the night because of their blasted eyes."

"Sir, we would have to—"

The man's shadow dropped over him again and Sasuke felt fingers hovering over his face, brush his side and pick up an object near the bed. "We were lucky to even find this specimen. The Uchiha destroy their corpses." The bottle sloshed as he set it back down. Sasuke opened his one eye. The man stared back at him and burst into flame.

Chakra exploded from Sasuke's body in a screech of birds, breaking the bindings and short-circuiting the equipment around him. An alarm sounded, Sasuke shoved a metal piece of equipment into the doctor's eye and picked up the undamaged bottle next to the bed.

The bottle held his left eye.

An explosion rocked the ground they were standing on, dust rising in the distance. "What—what was that?" Obito craned up, trying to see passed the trees and sprouting mushrooms. They were almost to the border.

"There shouldn't be any strongholds around here," Yondaime informed them.

Obito squinted. "But there's so much dust."

"Of course there is," Kakashi said, exasperation coloring his words. "There was just an explosion."

"I _know _that—"

"I think we can continue this discussion another time," Yondaime cut in. Obito noticed he was staring at something, and then he saw it too. Several black specks were speeding away from the area, toward them and—

"Those are hidden rock ninjas," Yondaime told them, gesturing for them to move back into cover. Kakashi didn't seem to mind that his command had been temporarily vetoed, Obito thought with some glee. So much for Kakashi commanding his first mission!

The ninjas were coming closer, Obito could see them signaling to each other, though he couldn't make out what the hand-movements were communicating. A boy flickered into view in front of them. Blood was dripping down his face and onto his bare chest. A fat purple belt had a sheath stuck through it and a sword was held in his hand. The blade sung with chakra and the ninjas stopped, startled, when they saw him. Several attempted to flee, back toward the destruction but they didn't get a chance. Obito watched them get run-through by a boy only a little older than him.

Bile clawed up his throat but Obito swallowed it back down. He hadn't—he hadn't had to kill anyone yet. Not like that. But the man did it effortlessly, with a grace Obito had never had.

Then, Obito saw his eye.

Sasuke had buried the bottle before he took after the men who had stolen his eye from him. He didn't know if he would be able to gain it back, but these men had probably never come across an Uchiha before—even though their words had said otherwise. Sasuke was going to show them exactly what the Sharingan was capable of—with only one eye.

There was only one man left who hadn't been felled by his sword. Sasuke flicked his wrist and sheathed it.

"How's your eye, Uchiha?"

False bravado never did any good. Sasuke just looked at him and then his eye changed. "Mangekyou Sharingan," he whispered. "You will be tortured by my sword for three days. On the last day, I will rip out your eyes with my bare hands." Screaming filled the air and Sasuke watched him collapse, blood filming around the edges of his mouth.

He was just about to go retrieve the jar with his eye when he heard a nearby rustle. Tilting his head, Sasuke flickered out of existence and appeared right next to Obito. "Who are you?"

Obito scrambled backwards, hands failing to find any of the numerous kunai he had on him, and stuttered out—"we're family—family! Uchiha Obito!"

Sasuke watched him for a minute, unfazed. He certainly had a resemblance to his family, but he must be stupid. Only an idiot would tell such a lie; everyone knew the Uchiha Clan was dead.

It was the shock of silver hair, a chin covered face, and the familiar features of his old teacher that stopped him from killing Uchiha Obito. "Hatake Kakashi," he said slowly. The other boy watched him warily, one hand holding up a ridiculous looking kunai.

A flash of gold had him whirling around, sword in hand, blocking the thrust meant for his shoulder. He recognized this face, though he had only seen it in old pictures and on a monument. This wasn't an illusion.

"You're fast," Yondaime said, a smile edging it's way out past his worry. "We're all from Konoha here, so how about we put down the weapons?"

Sasuke lowered his sword, but didn't put it away. He watched as the Yondaime slipped the kunai back up his sleeve.

"You're hurt. Rin, do you have your medical bag with you?"

"Got it!" a pretty girl with blonde hair called out from behind Kakashi.

"I need to retrieve my eye," Sasuke said, turning. He didn't wait for an answer. It didn't matter what time he was in, he was still a traitor to Konoha and no longer had to answer to anyone.

He came back cradling the jar beneath his arm. It sloshed as he held it up for Rin to inspect. She gasped, but reached out a hand for a closer look.

"We—we need to clean out your eye."

"First, we should secure the area," Yondaime said, though it was obvious to Sasuke that he had been doing just that. Obito was gone, probably scouting, and Kakashi was checking out the nearby area for traps.

"It's fine," Sasuke said. "I killed them all."

Yondaime's gaze sharpened on him at that, but he didn't say anything else. Rin cleaned around his left eye socket and Obito came back, staring at him strangely.

"What did you say your name was?"

"Sasuke."

"Weird, I don't recognize you."

"It's a big clan," Sasuke said, tightening his grip on his belt as Rin began to clean out the hollow where his eye had once been.

"I should put some—"

"No," Sasuke breathed out between clinched teeth. "I don't need it. Just do what you can as I am." He didn't want to be put asleep, numbed, or affected in any way. The last thing he needed was losing his senses around people he didn't know or trust.

Kakashi was trying to pretend like he wasn't staring at him, but Sasuke caught the way he was frowning at the ground, at Obito, at anyone except Sasuke.

"Where's your forehead protector?" Obito said suddenly.

"I didn't stop to pick it up." Sasuke closed his one eye, hissing in pain as Rin attempted to put his other eye back in.

"It—it won't be like it was," she said softly, her face conveying her pity. "It might not even work or your body could reject it as it would a transplant. You can't use it for a few days, possibly a few weeks." She wrapped a cloth around his eye, giving him a temporary eye-patch.

"That's fine, I only need one eye anyway." It wasn't fine though, but what choice did Sasuke have?

"We should move and make camp elsewhere. We'll need to review the mission, now that their stronghold was revealed. You'll have to tell us what you know," Yondaime said, looking at Sasuke.

Sasuke stared back and shrugged. When they made camp later, Kakashi, Rin and Obito huddled around a map with Yondaime. Sasuke sat farther away, the map's view blocked by Yondaime's broad shoulders.

Eye itching, clothed in one of Yondaime's extra shirts, Sasuke told them everything he knew about the Earth Country.

Sasuke woke up screaming. Someone shoved a glove in his mouth, large hands held him down by his shoulders, his legs were pinned by a heavy weight, and the words—gaton no jutsu—brought light to the camp.

Yondaime held him down, while Obito made a small fire. Rin was peering over Yondaime's shoulder, gently extracting the fabric covered over his eye. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop screaming. His eye stuck to the fabric, tore away with it and he struggled against the Yondaime's hold.

"Oh," Rin breathed, her voice high and trembling. It wasn't a good sound. "Your body—it's rejecting it. Maybe, maybe I didn't put in right. Let me see." Sasuke could hear her rummaging through her bag. The sock was making it hard to breath, but he hadn't bit down on his tongue, just his cheek. He wished he had though, if only to direct the pain elsewhere.

Something pricked him in the arm, and before Sasuke could protest, darkness enveloped him.

He woke up and it was day. The sun was shining, Kakashi, Obito and Rin were not in the camp and Yondaime was sitting beside his makeshift bed. The girl Rin was lucky to be gone, Sasuke felt like killing someone. "How are you feeling?"

Sitting up, Sasuke had to bite back a shriek. His vision felt tilted, the way it had ever since he had woken up in the hospital, and he knew that his eye was missing. "What happened?"

"Your eye was rejected."

Sasuke smiled. His life was just perfect. "And?"

"And we've placed it back in the jar. The liquid will help preserve it until we return to Konoha. A more experienced medic-nin may be able to make the transplant."

Kabuto wouldn't have been able to replace his eye if it'd been missing from his socket for a week. He might be able to give him a false eye, but not the Sharingan. Sasuke exhaled the breath that seemed trapped in his chest. "I don't need it any more."

But he wanted it back.

"I'm sorry," Yondaime offered, setting a meager bowl of soup and a rice cracker in front of him. "Our mission will be completed soon; they may have time to repair your eye."

Doubtful, but a part of Sasuke still hoped. "Hmph." He ate his food and tried to get used to the sensation of having his movements off. It hadn't bothered him in his fight, Orochimaru had taught him how to compensate for limbs—and eyes—lost, but now, doing something as little as holding chopsticks, Sasuke felt it's loss as large as any limb.

He touched the gauze covering his face, but made no move to look where they had put the bottle.

Halfway through the day, Sasuke got a headache. He grit his teeth and helped Yondaime pack up the camp. By the other man's predictions, Team Kakashi should be back any time. The sun was starting to sink below the horizon and a chill wind had picked up. Sasuke turned toward the sound, Yondaime following his movement, and Kakashi strode through the woods, carrying Obito on his back and Rin behind him.

Smiling, Sasuke watched their approach, but his smile disappeared at the familiar spectacle they made.

"Idiot got hit by a rock." Kakashi jostled Obito roughly, but not enough to hurt him.

"He has a concussion," Rin explained, not seeming at all bothered by her bloodstained shirt.

Yondaime sighed and then started unpacking. "We'll stay here another night, but be on guard. Someone may have seen last nights fire."

Rin busied herself by making up Obito's bed. Yondaime inspected him further as Kakashi held him. Sasuke felt like an intruder but sat down near the center of the camp, next to the fire's old ashes.

"Ow, stop fucking hitting me, Kakashi," Obito slurred, eyes cracked and lined with red. "I got my Sharingan, sensei."

Yondaime smiled; in that moment he looked like Naruto had just before Sasuke killed him. He looked tired, but happy. "That's great, Obito. I knew you would."

Kakashi scoffed, but laid him down gently onto the bedding Rin made up.

Sasuke waited until it became quiet again, only Obito's constant grumbling breaking the mood (followed by Kakashi's constant needling), before offering to take the first and last watch.

The night passed slowly and Obito spoke up suddenly—which quickly turned into a yelp. "Hey, what the hell?" he hissed, at least not stupid enough to wake up his team. It was possible that Obito's teammates were all ready awake, but when they didn't move or make any other sound except for breathing, Sasuke slipped down from his perch into the tree and next to Obito. He hulled his shruiken out of the ground.

"You surprised me."

"Heh. Well, that doesn't mean you have to almost kill me. Invalid, right here," Obito said, gesturing wildly.

Sasuke slipped the shruiken back into his pouch. "Shut up, you're going to wake someone."

Obito snorted as he answered. "Nah, Kakashi's such a prick that he won't admit that he sleeps like the dead. I'd have to kick him in the face for that asshole to wake up."

Saying nothing, Sasuke hoped to discourage the conversation, but it seemed Obito was a lot like Naruto had been—he didn't need anyone else to keep up a conversation with, he held it quite well on his own.

"When did you get your Sharingan?"

Sighing, Sasuke knew if he didn't answer Obito would bug him the rest of the night. It didn't make a difference, anyway. "When I was twelve."

"Younger than me," Obito mused.

Sasuke jumped back up into the tree, but that didn't deter Obito's company.

"Why was your's so different?"

That was treading into dangerous territory. Sasuke didn't know what to expect when he returned to Konoha, not only was his previous sensei younger than him, he had no connection to the village other than his bloodline ability. They didn't know that yet, but they would. There were only so many lies Sasuke could get away with and he had to choose them carefully.

"I don't know what you mean."

"It looked funny." Obito peered up into the treetops, as if hoping to catch a glimpse of Sasuke's Sharingan right at that moment. Sasuke 'hmphed' and let a few branches come between them.

Finally, maybe because Obito really did remind him of Naruto: annoying, unable to shut up, and constantly picking fights with—not him—Kakashi, Sasuke said something just to provoke. "Your face looks funny."

"Wha—WHAT? You asshole, come down here and—" Obito slumped over. Sasuke looked down at him and swung back up into the tree. Rin probably would have yelled at him if she knew he had just whacked her patient, and friend, in the back of the head with the handle on his kunai so soon after a concussion. He hoped Obito told her.

It wouldn't do permanent damage, but it did give him silence for the rest of his watch.

Sasuke woke up before Yondaime had gotten Obito, Kakashi and Rin stirring. They were still sleeping and Sasuke glared at Yondaime, who waved at him. "I was supposed to have last watch."

"Well, I figured you needed the rest." Yondaime smiled at him and fanned the campfire. He offered Sasuke a plump rice cake, which Sasuke took. "Your eye needed the rest, even if you didn't," he said, forestalling Sasuke's argument.

Stuffing his mouth full of rice cake, Sasuke began to put the spare blankets away. He didn't bother saying thank you, because he wasn't thankful.

Obito yawned loudly, protesting as a foot kicked him in the side. "Wake up, waste of space." Rolling onto his side, Obito glared at Kakashi.

"Go to hell."

"Obito, time to get up," Yondaime said. Obito heard his sensei's amusement and dragged himself away from his bed.

"Fine fine—ow, Kakashi, dammit!" Snatching at Kakashi's ankle, and missing, Obito moaned and grabbed his head. "I feel like someone beat my head in." He stood up, dusted off his clothes and began putting his things into a small travel pouch. As he straightened, he caught that freaky boy's eye, and saw him smirking. "What?"

Sasuke didn't bother to answer him, per usual. Obito dug around in his kunai pouch for his eye drops and looped his goggles around his head. "Stupid relatives and their stupid—hey, Kakashi what was that for?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. Obito glared.

"I didn't do anything, stupid."

Sputtering, Obito didn't get a chance to reply as Kakashi walked toward Yondaime, his bag already hitched on his back. "Stupid Kakashi," Obito muttered as he squeezed a few drops of liquid into his eyes.

Obito's feet were sore, his head felt stuffed with cotton, and they still had two more hours of fast-jogging before they entered Konoha's borders. "Man, this sucks," Obito said to no one. Kakashi pulled ahead of him with a smirk. Rin jogged behind him, her medical bag slung over her shoulders, her overnight bag strapped to her waist. Sasuke stayed just to the side of Yondaime, a little closer to the rear. Obito knew why, even if his teacher wasn't saying. Yondaime had been keeping his eye on Sasuke, despite his blood hailing from Obito's family.

Thinking too much, Obito slipped, caught his balance, and grumbled at Kakashi's amused look. He wanted to try and call up the Sharingan, but was even more afraid than before. What if he couldn't do it again? Sasuke had called up his with so much ease that Obito couldn't help but be jealous.

But then, Sasuke only had one eye. There wasn't a lot to be jealous of.

Reaching the outskirts of Konoha, Obito breathed a sigh of relief. They weren't out of danger yet, but after everything that had happened, it felt good to be home. Yondaime froze, signaling them all to stop. Obito stood on his tip toes, straining to see what had stopped his teacher. Then, he wished he hadn't seen.

_Kyuubi _.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Summary: Sasuke wakes up in a different time, missing his eye, with no way back.

Notes: I can`t believe I am updating this. Sudden random urge to finish this fic. It has been _years. _I am not even sure where the urge came from as I no longer watch the anime or read the manga. Well, it has been awhile fandom. Also, I haven`t bothered to edit this since the first time _5 years ago_ so the grammar is atrocious, sorry.

_Without Looking Back_

By: Hana J.

A fox trotted on the trail in front of them, innocent looking except for the seven slender, whip-like tails protruding from its backside. It tilted its small, triangle-head at their approach.

Sasuke reached for his sword, the Kyuubi's chakra buzzing around him. It felt nothing like Naruto's combined chakra had—it was stronger. There was very little for Sasuke to look forward to; only after everyone that had mattered to him died did Sasuke finally begin to understand his brother. The irony in that was abysmal but Sasuke only looked forward to fights that had the potential to be fatal—nothing else had the capability to stir emotion within him.

"Kyuubi." His words echoed in the silence around them, only then did he realize even the bugs had become quiet. Yondaime shot him a warning look.

"If you ignore it, it will ignore us. We have a truce, but those idiots who fall into its trap are free prey. The Hokage won't save your ass just cause you decide to play with a demon." Obito grimaced, jamming his goggles over his eyes and trying to look as if he hadn't said a word.

Then, the fox changed. He grew: sprouted arms, legs, a pale face and dark hair. He shared the infamous-facial features of the Uchiha Clan, but was no one Sasuke had known.

"Obito-kun, how is your training coming along?" The fox's deep, gravelly voice was ill at ease with the smile on its face.

"See?" Obito hissed, looking in the opposite direction of the man-fox.

Yondaime stared at him, as if trying to think of how to explain the fox's behavior before realization dawned in his eyes. Sasuke didn't let his own mistake show on his face. He shouldn't have been surprised at the fox's change. Obito shouldn't have had to explain about the truce between Konoha and the Kyuubi; not if Sasuke lived there.

He should have ignored the only thing familiar since his coming.

"Obito-kun," the demon said again, drawing Yondaime's attention away from Sasuke, "do you need me to look at your eyes? They are awfully watery today."

Obito looked away and adjusted his goggles. Yondaime signaled for them all to make a slow progression passed it. As they walked, the fox followed them, changing back to its original form, its tails swinging wildly behind it like a happy dog.

Sasuke noticed that Obito kept quiet all the way back to the village. The fox teetered off when the forest began to change to worn paths and scattered trees. Yondaime sighed, a visible release of tension, after the demon left.

"Being around that thing makes me nervous. I don't know how the Hokage managed to convince it to form a truce with our village," Yondaime said, leading them passed the monuments—lacking his face, Sasuke thought—and toward the main building. Everything looked similar, newer, only a few details were off. Like, the Hokage's office lacked the bottle of sake he'd heard Tsunade always kept with her. But the man in the office looked different, younger, less worn, and he had a small, dark goatee.

"Ah, Team Kakashi," the Hokage greeted, his voice rich and spry. The skin around his eyes was pinched, but it lacked the many wrinkles Sasuke remembered. "I see you've added one more to your group," he said, waiting for their explanation. There were two ANBU shadowed in the corner of the room, like body guards, but everyone knew the Hokage didn't really need body guards. But even the most skilled ninjas knew to be wary. The current Hokage didn't know that Sasuke had killed a Sanin or turned traitor to the village he kept watch over.

As Yondaime explained the situation and how they had retrieved—found—Sasuke, the Hokage kept his gaze steady and his hands folded on the table.

"Ah, I see. Team Kakashi, if you could excuse me, I would like a moment with Uchiha Sasuke."

"Of course, Hokage-sama," Kakashi bowed, taking his command once more from Yondaime. "Excuse us," he said, shooting Obito an impatient look as he led them out of the door.

Obito stared at the back of Sasuke's head one last time before following Kakashi. As the door shut, he heard the Hokage say, "I would like to hear your versions of the events described and your relation to our village. Your name isn't in the records."

He pressed his ear to the door, goggles smashing up against the side of his eye. Kakashi boxed him in the ear, the thump as his head hit the door surely audible to the two occupants on the other side. "Kakashi," he snarled, turning on his teammate.

"Don't eavesdrop, loser," Kakashi said, grabbing the back of his collar and dragging Obito away from the office. Yondaime followed them with a fond smile, and that made Obito scowl all the more.

They were escorted to the hospital for an after-mission check-up, which Obito loathed. He sat on his bed, kicking the floor and waiting for the doctor to pronounce him well.

"You're free to go, Uchiha Obito," the doctor finally stated, looking about as relieved as Obito did.

"Thanks, doc," Obito shouted over his shoulder as he ran off to find Rin and Kakashi. Rin was in the waiting room, bag on her lap and reading through a magazine on health. "Hey!" Obito waved, looking around.

"Kakashi already left, said he didn't want to wait for you." Rin looked like she was hiding a smile in her magazine. She put it away, standing.

"What? Why that—"

"Language, Obito," Yondaime spoke up from behind him. Obito whirled around.

"Sensei! Hey, what happened to Sasuke? I heard the Hokage—"

Someone slammed a fist against his head before he could say more. "Owww. Hospital patient here!"

"Idiot," Kakashi said drawing his fist back to his side.

Obito adjusted the goggles looped around his neck. "I thought you went home," he said with narrowed eyes. Kakashi shot a glance at Rin.

"I didn't. What's wrong, head still broken?"

"Shut up! My head is fine, they wanted to keep me here for another day but I convinced them not to."

"More like annoyed them," Kakashi muttered.

They bickered all the way to Rin's house, where they dropped her off. Rin invited Kakashi inside but he declined, walking the rest of the way to the entrance of the Uchiha Clan's complex. "See you later," Obito said, waving at Kakashi as he left.

Kakashi turned back around and left without saying goodbye.

"Asshole," Obito said turning and ducking beneath the gated arch to his parent's house. It wasn't until after dinner, a scolding by his mother for getting hurt, and a long bath to ease the aches, that Obito realized his teacher never answered his question about Sasuke.

The next time their team met up, no matter how much Obito pestered Yondaime, he wouldn't answer any questions about Sasuke.

Two weeks later, his parents left for a Clan meeting. When they came back, they told them there was to be a new addition to their household. "Because of your previous contact with him, the Clan head has decided to allow Uchiha Sasuke stay within our walls. As a show of trust, there will be no ANBU following him for the duration of his stay. In a month, if we determine he is trustworthy, then he can move out." His Uncle came by that night, shooting a dark look at where Obito sat in the corner of the room, next to the kerosene heater.

They lowered their voices until Obito couldn't hear them. He stared at the hot wires in the heater, knowing without having to be told that his Uncle was saying, once again: thanks for putting a burden on our family.

The next three days were a flurry of activity from his mom as she prepared the guest bedroom, aired out all the futons, cleaned sheets, checked Sasuke's room over for any leftover scrolls, and prepared dinner. Sasuke came during the evening, just before dinner when the sun faded from the sky and night fell on Konoha like an anchor dropped from the Hokage monuments. Obito answered the door, the smell of his mom's kitchen swirling around him.

Sasuke entered, toeing off his shoes and laying his sword next to the sandal rack, silent as ever.

"Uchiha Sasuke," his mom greeted, coming out from the kitchen in her apron and with a warm smile, "it's a pleasure to have you." Indeed, they were being compensated with money for allowing Sasuke to stay with them. Obito scowled, but soon found his displeasure fading as dinner started. Sasuke looked uneasy with his mom bustling about the kitchen, handing out dish after dish, his father resorting to small talk.

No one mentioned that Sasuke had no known family.

"Your sword in the entrance hall is a very nice design," his father said, once more breaking the silence with what he knew best: shinobi pleasantry.

"Thank you," Sasuke murmured gracefully, taking a sip of tea. He sat ill at ease; Obito could tell from the way his eyes were constantly moving from his mother to his father, as if unsure which to settle on.

The topic moved on to news of the war-efforts, supplies that were being shipped, and prospective academy students. Bored, Obito jabbed his chopsticks in and out of his rice, poking holes in the design he had shaped earlier during a conversation on the weather.

"I'm sorry for intruding on your family," Sasuke said, signaling the end to the dinner. Obito sighed in relief.

"No, no," his father assured, getting up and pulling out a bottle of sake from the cabinet. Great, Obito thought, they would be doing this for another hour. "Please, have some." He handed Sasuke a small glass, took one for himself, and gave another to Obito's mother.

"Obito, your mother prepared a bath earlier, if you could check on the temperature." A nice, pathetic dismissal. Well, he didn't want to stay anyway.

"Fine," he said, standing up and catching Sasuke's eye. The other boy didn't look the least bit annoyed and Obito was beginning to wonder if Sasuke's expression ever changed.

He slipped into the bath, despite the fact that he knew it was meant for Sasuke, and let the tension ease out of his shoulders, eyes slipping shut in the warm fog. He tried not to think about Sasuke drinking sake with his father. He'd never been offered sake.

Sasuke tried not to drink too much, even though Obito's father, Uchiha Kibashi, kept filling his glass. They spoke about house rules, Kibashi bragged about his family and Sasuke remembered something his brother had once sneered: pride. Sasuke had abandoned his own pride long ago for the sake of killing that man.

Finally, he made it to his room. After a bath, Obito's mother provided him with a set of pajamas, several pairs of clothing for the next day, the Uchiha emblem marked on the back like a bullseye. Sasuke tried to sleep, ignoring the aches left over from interrogation. He dreamed of another life, where the lies he had told the interrogation officer were real.

The next day found him getting up after the sun rose and leaving with Obito to meet with Team Kakashi, still unofficially Team Yondaime. They met at the bridge where Sasuke used to meet with Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi. He clamped down on the nostalgia that threatened; the past no longer mattered.

Yondaime, unlike Kakashi, was early and waiting for them when they arrived. Kakashi sat on the bridges rail, two eyes widening with surprise as Sasuke came into view. Sasuke nodded his head at him, amused, and Rin waved. He didn't wave back.

The other night, no one had mentioned his eye patch or the fact that one Sharingan eye was lost to him forever. Within the Clan of Uchiha, such a handicap was almost unbearable; the eyes were the pride of the Clan. Even Obito had been too uncomfortable to mention it in front of his parents, Sasuke had caught him staring at it more than once, and he noted the way Uchiha Kibashi had avoided looking above his nose.

"It couldn't be saved," Rin said, as he got closer.

"No," Sasuke answered. The clothes Sasuke wore felt weird. It's been a long time since he'd worn the navy t-shirt with the Uchiha fan on his back. His arms felt bare and were riddled with scars, a long snake tattoo hidden beneath arm guards. His sword was tucked into his belt, which clashed horribly with the color of his shirt, but Sasuke had never cared about aesthetics.

"I get three days to train all of you, so that you can adjust to Sasuke's movements. Then, we'll be back out on the field. Konoha can't spare any more time."

Obito, Rin and Kakashi nodded, faces turning serious. Yondaime laughed a little to ease the sudden tension. "So, how about we see what your capable of Sasuke," Yondaime said, gesturing toward familiar training grounds.

Sasuke turned and then ducked a wild barrage of kunai. Rin still had the same shy smile, and she laughed nervously, the hand that had thrown the kunai tucked behind her as if she was fixing her hair. "We never say go," Obito said with a large grin, smacking his goggles over his eyes and disappearing off the bridge and into the surrounding foliage.

They moved like a team, Sasuke noted, as they drew farther away from the village and into the denser training grounds. Yondaime spotted all of them, traveling either a few feet behind or a few feet in front, constantly moving, while Kakashi made up for Obito's lack of skill. Obito, however, was the eyes. His movements with the Sharingan were off and Sasuke could now recognize it as the mark of a new user—though he had never had the chance to observe another of his bloodline.

Rin was both bait and precious commodity, she frequently was behind both Obito and Kakashi, but occasionally she moved forward to tempt Sasuke with a distraction. Naruto, Sakura, and he had never moved together with such ease. But then, they had never had much of a chance to.

Sasuke blocked Kakashi's thrust. "This guard failed," he said, yanking Kakashi's kunai from him and kicking him into a tree. Obito spun through the air behind him, using Sasuke's newly acquired blind-side ruthlessly, but Sasuke jumped away just in time, ducking the kunai meant for him. Obito anticipated his movement, fist coming down to smash into his nose and Sasuke disappeared in a puff of smoke.

He appeared at Rin's side, grabbing hold of her by her waist pouch, striping her from her weapons, and tying her to a tree with Sharingan enhanced string. Kakashi cut the string moments later, Obito using foot and fist to distract Sasuke.

Quickly growing bored—this was child's play—Sasuke caught Obito's fist, stating dully, "This guard's too slow," and disarmed him. He was just about to swipe Obito's side with the blade when a scream cut through his movements, stilling him.

"SASUKE!"

Naruto stood on the tree opposite of him, red chakra burning around him.

Sasuke turned toward Naruto, a smirk curling his lips. "I have no attachment to the dead."

Kyuubi leaped, landing on the tip of the branch Sasuke stood on. He leaned forward, hands thrown out in front of him. "Traitor!"

The kunai dropped from Sasuke's grip, landing blade-buried in the ground below them. Sasuke placed his hands on his hips, not even bothering to reach for his sword. He leaned forward, until his nose lined up with Naruto's and his necklace slipped out of his shirt, dangling in the space between them. Kyuubi's eyes caught the movement and Naruto's ears pulled back, grew longer, and flattened against his head like a cat's. "Impossible," he breathed, before his voice echoed around them in raucous laughter.

Obito slid away from Sasuke, using the tree trunk as a shield. Sasuke saw Yondaime poised on the tree beside them, waiting for an attack.

Naruto's form melted away, leaving a hulking fox in its wake, its jaws still working with laughter that echoed in the forest. "Surpassing even Uchiha Mandara."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, but Obito spoke up before he could. "Who's that?"

Kyuubi smiled, turning his attention to Obito and fluidly moving into the form of a dark-haired Uchiha that Sasuke now recognized as Obito's uncle.

"Don't even know one of your own relatives, boy?" The fox flickered from view, dropping to the path below them and disappearing, its low voice leaving its last words stirring the leaves in the trees. "Konoha shut its gate for war, but willingly opened them to a monster."

Obito broke the silence. "Eh, that was weird. Normally it stays around until we get closer to the village."

Yondaime came up beside Obito and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Sasuke could see the fine tremors shaking Obito's body from where he stood.

"It was just taunting us, be glad it got bored so easily." Yondaime nodded to Kakashi who slipped out of his spot shadowed by trees.

Kakashi whacked Obito on the head. "I can't believe you're a big enough idiot to listen to it."

"I am not!" Obito yelled, rounding on him.

"Are to."

"Are not!"

Kakashi smirked. "Whatever, I'm not arguing with a dunce like you."

"Asshole," Obito said, his cheeks red.

Sasuke watched their fight, his stomach churning. He eyed the spot Kyuubi had stood at moments before. He may have looked like Naruto, but he definitely didn't act like Naruto. Sasuke jumped out of the tree, collecting his dropped kunai. He could feel Yondaime watching him as he bent.

Rin appeared at his side, hands fluttering around him until Sasuke smacked them away. "I'm fine," he said.

"Sorry." Rin flushed. "It just got so close to you I thought maybe…" She shook her head and tapped her fingers against the medical pouch slung around her waist. "You didn't even look scared. It's stupid to go challenging a demon. False bravado will just get you killed, so next time just ignore it. Yondaime-sensei told you that."

Sasuke met her eyes with his one. "Demon or human, I'm not scared."

Rin snorted. "You can't possibly expect me to believe that."

"I don't care for your opinion." Sasuke turned away and leapt back up into the branches, ignoring Rin following behind him.

"I think that's enough training for today." Yondaime had his arms crossed over his chest.

Obito grumbled. "Ahhh, come on, sensei. We barely got a chance to kick Sasuke's ass."

Yondaime hid a smile behind a cough. "Another day, Obito-kun."

Sasuke remained quiet; he didn't need to say anything. He knew Obito didn't have a chance against him, none of them did.

"What's that look for?" Obito asked, his nose scrunching up. Sasuke looked back at Kakashi, but the gray-haired boy just raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hey, I'm talking to you, Sasuke," Obito said, hands on hips.

"What look?" Sasuke asked, turning back toward him.

"That one!"

Sasuke stared at him a moment longer, confused, even though it didn't show on his face.

"That look." Obito growled. "The one that says you don't believe me. Think you're better than us, do you?"

Sasuke heard Yondaime sigh. "Yes, I do." Obito asked; he didn't see any reason to lie. Obito's face went slack for a moment, as though he couldn't believe Sasuke had just agreed, before it reddened with anger.

"Bastard, I hate stuck up—oi!" Yondaime swung Obito by the collar of his jacket.

"Enough," he said sternly. The inflection was a foreign sound, one Sasuke had not heard before and it silenced Obito immediately. "Let's go get lunch," Yondaime said as he released Obito's collar and smoothed out the wrinkles on Obito's jacket.

"Lunch sounds great," Rin chimed in, breaking the tension.

Kakashi and Sasuke trailed behind them, keeping an arm's length between them as they walked sedately back to the village, as if there had been no demon running amok in the training grounds just moments before, as if there was no war threatening Konoha's borders. The quiet between them spread, broken by Rin and Obito's argument, and Sasuke reflected on how easily Konoha made itself look like home even when he knew better.

It turned out, after lunch, that Team Kakashi found out they would have to wait three days before their new mission. The new mission would come directly after training, which showed, to Sasuke, just how much Konoha needed all its nin. Yondaime pulled him aside.

"You won't be accompanying us on this mission. The council agreed that they should wait a bit longer before deploying you into active service, because this mission is located near Hidden Rock, where you were previously found."

Sasuke didn't need Yondaime to tell him that the council didn't want to give him any chance to contact anyone he may have known previously. He already knew that some may have thought him a spy, others a prisoner of war. This way both were pacified. Sasuke would only take missions that were not near Hidden Rock or Earth. It didn't bother him, after all, he knew no one and cared little for Konoha's war or the people involved.

"Keep training in the mean time," Yondaime said, as if Sasuke needed to be reminded.

"Hmph." Sasuke turned, not bothering to say goodbye to any of Team Kakashi. He walked slowly back to the Uchiha complex, stopping to buy some food from a stall that was owned by an Uncle who had given him candies as a child. The Hokage had given him a small allowance for food and clothing, though he would have to pay it back when his mission money came in. It was another reason to be sore over the council refusing his participation in this mission, but if that was their aim it did little to change Sasuke's mood. None of it mattered to him, anyway.

Two days later, Obito spent the night packing, catching quick glimpses of Sasuke as he went to the bathroom, ate dinner with his family like a second son, and slipped into his bedroom and disappeared for the rest of the night. Obito grumbled with his pack in hand, folding a few spare clothes, sharpening and packing his weapons late into the night. He needed sleep, but with his close call on his last mission (though he'd certainly survived with only a few scraps) and his newly acquired Sharingan, he was unnaturally nervous for this new mission.

The swish of a door opening alerted Obito to someone else within the house being awake. It was probably just his mother getting a glass of water. When the footsteps went towards the front door, Obito became curious.

He stuck to the shadows of the hallway and peered around the corner. Sasuke was standing at the front door, sliding his shoes on. If he heard Obito, he didn't show it. He left a few seconds later, sword tucked into the fat belt around his waist, the shirt he wore the previous day tucked into sweatpants.

Obito waited a moment before following. Sasuke headed further into the Uchiha compound, toward houses that were larger and more luxurious than Obito's. Sasuke disappeared behind a corner branching off the main street and Obito counted the seconds before following him. He turned the corner and the street was bare. He held in a curse. Sasuke had disappeared.

Stars blinked above Obito as his feet disappeared beneath him and he was flying through the air. He landed on his back, knocking the air from his lungs. Gasping, he jerked to his feet but stilled when he felt the press of a blade against his neck.

"I don't appreciate being followed." Obito almost sighed in relief at the sound of Sasuke's tight, bland voice.

"Well," he stalled, "thanks for telling me. I'll make sure to—eep."

Blood trickled down his throat to stain the collar of his shirt.

"Don't do it again." A rush of wind followed Sasuke words and Obito turned only to be met with the sight of a tree, a garden lining the edge of a house and no Sasuke in sight. He sighed, rubbed at his neck, and reluctantly admitted (only to himself) that spying on Sasuke wasn't the best idea he'd ever had. Grumbling, he went back home and determined to try and fall asleep.

Sasuke waited until Obito's chakra faded before retracing his steps. He stopped in front of a large house with a wrap-around porch and a garden fenced in by tall walls marked with the Uchiha emblem. It was his second visit. He knew the occupants of the house couldn't detect him and Sasuke had never before realized just how large his old family home had been, for a family of five. His grandmother, his mother's mother-in-law, had stayed in a separate part of the house and he'd rarely seen her—though he'd seen plenty of his mom trailing between the kitchen and his grandmother's off-limit room. He leapt easily over the gate and tamped down on his chakra. He could feel the gentle hum of his mother's chakra mixed with his father's more abrasive presence.

Itachi's chakra, muted but strong, led Sasuke to the roof. From there, he sat, feet dangling over the edge. Below him was Itachi's room. If Sasuke bent down over the lip of the roof, he could unlock the window, brush aside the curtains, and wrap his hands around six-year-old Itachi's neck.

Sasuke stayed on the roof for over an hour. Itachi slept soundly.


End file.
